The tenure of a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) in B2B companies is alarmingly brief, with many exiting through the CMO revolving door quickly. Unreasonable expectations and a lack of alignment between Marketing and Sales drive this phenomenon. Consequently, these factors make it difficult for CMOs to maintain long-term positions.

• High Expectations for Performance: CMOs face intense pressure to quickly achieve results in many areas such as lead generation, brand awareness, and revenue growth. Usually within tight deadlines. Gartner reports that 75% of CMOs faced requests to do more with less in 2023. Expecting CMOs to increase marketing output by 25% with a reduced budget sets them up for failure. Period.
  
• Sales and Marketing Alignment: Achieving alignment with sales teams is essential but is difficult. Often, a misunderstanding about the role of Marketing causes this. Misalignment can result in unmet sales expectations and shortened tenures for CMOs. In short, if Sales has a different set of goals than Marketing then this is a recipe for failure.

To help CMOs succeed and stay longer, B2B companies should set realistic expectations and ensure full alignment between Marketing and Sales. Companies that do this will have CMOs who stay, rather than quickly leaving through the CMO revolving door.